The Competent Crew course introduces the complete beginner
to cruising and teaches personal safety, seamanship and
helmsmanship to the level required to be a useful member of
crew of a cruising yacht.
1. Knowledge of sea terms and
parts of a boat, her rigging and sails
Sufficient knowledge to
understand orders given concerning the sailing and day to
day running of the boat.
2. Sail Handling
Bending on, setting,
reefing and handling of sails
Use of sheets and halyards
and their associated winches
3. Ropework
Handling ropes, including
coiling, stowing, securing to cleats and single and double
bollards
Handling warps
Ability to tie the
following knots and to know their correct use:
figure-of-eight, clove hitch, rolling hitch, bowline, round
turn and two half hitches, single and double sheet bend,
reef knot
4. Fire
precautions and fighting
Awareness of the hazards
of fire and the precautions necessary to prevent fireb.
Knowledge of the action to be taken in the event of fire
5. Personal safety
equipment
Understands and complies
with rules for the wearing of safety harnesses, lifejackets
and personal buoyancy aids
6. Man overboard
Understands the action to
be taken to recover a man overboard
7. Emergency
equipment
Can operate distress
flares and knows when they should be used
Understands how to launch
and board a liferaft
8. Manners and
customs
Understands accepted
practice with regard to: use of burgees and ensigns,
prevention of unnecessary noise or disturbance in harbour
including courtesies to other craft berthed
Aware of the
responsibility of yacht skippers to protect the environment
9. Rules of the
road
Is able to keep and
efficient lookout at sea
10. Dinghies
Understands and complies
with the loading rules.
Is able to handle a dinghy
under oars
11. Meteorology
Awareness of forecasting
services and knowledge of the Beaufort scale
12. Seasickness
Working efficiency is
unaffected/partially affected/severely affected by
seasickness
13. Helmsmanship
and sailing
Understands the basic
principles of sailing and can steer and trim sails on all
points of sailing
Can steer a compass
course, under sail and power
14. General duties
Has carried out general
duties satisfactorily on deck and below decks in connection
with the daily routine of the vessel |